Pandemics don’t need passports. They travel at will and no one can stop their journey. With globalisation, the reach of pandemics has become wider and wider. History has many examples. The Black Death, arguably the most calamitous pandemic in history with a fatality count of over 200 million, took years to spread across the globe. The plague, which reached Western Europe in 1347, took nearly a year to reach nearby England. Such was the case with most pandemics in the preglobalisation days.
But when air travel became popular and with the advent of rapid globalisation of trade and culture, more people started crisscrossing the globe. The International Civil Aviation Organization tells us that the aviation industry has seen dramatic growth over the past 20 years, with the number of passengers rising from 1.5 billion in 1998 to nearly four billion in 2017, and the number is only going up. By 2037, estimates the International Air Transport Association, some 8.2 billion people will travel by air.
End of globalisation?
A joint estimate by the Brookings Institution and the United Nations says that as people continue to migrate to cities for economic opportunity, the middle class will expand and most of them will travel, particularly within the developing bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC).
This means the trend of people travelling across the globe is here to stay. However, globalisation, as we know it today, has exposed people to dangers its proponents never warned, or even worried, about.
Denne historien er fra April 03, 2020-utgaven av The Hindu Business Line.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 03, 2020-utgaven av The Hindu Business Line.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Covid Presents An Opportunity For India
India must attract investors exiting China post-Covid. Streamlining of project clearances and relaxation in FRBM norms will help
Did Alternative Assets Shield You From Covid-19 Volatility?
The assets closely linked to stock and debt markets could not stave off the losses
How To Put Aircraft To Bed
Preserving grounded planes, to get them up and flying at short notice, is a challenging task. Ashwini Phadnis captures the process
There Can Be No Going Back On WFH
Covid-19 has fast-forwarded the shift to ‘work from home’. However, some face-to-face connect will always be needed
UN, WHO Urged To Ensure ‘Benefit Sharing' Of Covid-Related Data
Biopharma firms should reach vaccines, medicines to poor nations at an affordable price, say civil society bodies
With No Clear Signal From Rlys, States Explore Ways To Bring Back Migrants
Quarantine centres, cross-country buses being arranged even as migrants hop on to boats, trucks and ambulances
Centre Allows All Neighbourhood Shops To Open But With Riders
Final call will be taken by local authorities; shopping complexes that draw fewer ‘outsiders’ are permitted to operate
Covid Impact Relatively Muted In India
Compared to Italy and the US, India’s rate of infection spread has been slow. This can be attributed to the strict measures in place
How Global Trade Will Fare Post-Covid
China isn’t likely to lose its pre-eminent position soon. India, for one, will need to make manufacturing globally competitive
How To Curb Harassment In The Virtual Office
Training and sensitisation are essential. Institute a strict dress code and chat etiquette to ensure professionalism during video calls